海

Sea, Ocean

うみ (umi)

JLPT N4

Interesting Fact

For nearly 2,000 years, Japan's famous Ama divers collected pearls, shellfish, and seaweed by diving into the sea with nothing but their breath. Some women descended more than 20 meters before modern diving equipment existed. Their remarkable tradition still survives in parts of Japan today.

Memory Trick

A mother(母) cries and her tears(氵) become a vast sea. Water progression: 💧 池 → A small, calm pond. 🏞️ 川 → A flowing river. 🌊 海 → Where all rivers end. 🌍 洋 → The vast ocean beyond the sea, leading to the Western world.